An aggressive crocodile captured in far north Queensland is to be scanned to discover whether it killed and ate a man who disappeared in the region last week.

The 4.3 metre reptile is one of two trapped close to the Endeavour River site where Arthur Booker, 62, went missing last Tuesday after he went to check crab pots at the end of a camping trip.

A four-day search failed to turn up any trace of the Vietnam veteran from Logan, south of Brisbane, other than his sandals and wristwatch, found on a riverbank nearby.

A spokesman for the Environmental Protection Agency said the crocodile was particularly aggressive, indicating it is a "problem animal" worthy of further investigation.

"This particular animal over the last few days of searching did demonstrate territorial behaviour that we regarded, for croc management purposes, as behaviour where we would remove it," said Mike Devery.

Endoscopy examination

The croc was the larger of two captured over the weekend. It underwent an endoscopy yesterday, but vets were unable to ascertain whether it had killed Mr Booker.

The other crocodile - a 2.3 metre specimen - was due to be forced to regurgitate its stomach contents last night. It is not yet known if the procedure, which can only be carried out on smaller animals - resulted in any evidence linking the croc to Mr Booker's death.

The EPA says the trapped crocodiles will not be harmed or killed, but most likely relocated to another remote river system or held in captivity at a crocodile farm after they have been examined.

Queensland Environment Minister Andrew McNamara has already dismissed calls for a crocodile culling program.

Police suspended the search for Mr Booker on Friday but have asked wildlife authorities to check the stretch of river twice a day.


Source: SBS staff and agencies